Laurea Magistrale a Ciclo Unico in Medicina Veterinaria

Propaedeutic exams: CI Microbiology and Immunology
veterinary (VET0016)

• The aim of this teaching is to provide knowledge in the field of infectious diseases of farm and pet animals. It also provides knowledge for the proper management of control plans and health emergencies in livestock, including diseases that can be transmitted to humans. It contributes to the training of the veterinary practitioner and the official veterinarian working in the animal health area. The teaching also provides the necessary knowledge for the State examination in Veterinary Medicine and for the access to the post graduate education in animal health

Knowledge and learning skills

·         At the end of the course the student will be able to:

• identify the main etiological and pathogenic properties of infectious agents of veterinary interest

• to know the main risk factors associated with the introduction of epidemic agents

• correctly use the terms of descriptive epidemiology 

• to know the principles, methods and application of direct and indirect diagnostic tests

• describe monitoring methods for defining health status in animal populations

• to know the main international databases on the information of the spread of infectious diseases of veterinary interest

• to know the principles governing the national and international trade of live animals and their products

• to describe the symptoms associated with health emergencies in the various animal species

• to list the intervention procedures for a correct management of health emergencies.

• to know the main characteristics of the veterinary vaccines

• to know the principles for safety and awareness use of drugs for treatment of infectious diseases

• use an appropriate scientific language

Use of knowledge and learning skills

At the end of the course the student will be able to:

 • Interpret correctly the operating procedures for the health management of infectious emergencies

• Perform and correctly interpret laboratory tests specific to infectious agents

• apply a correct vaccination plan

• plan a biological sampling suitable for health surveillance

• consult databases to update knowledge on the health status of the main infectious agents

• predispose health control programs according to the epidemiological characteristics of specific infectious agents

Independent judgment

At the end of the course the student will be able to:

• critically evaluate control plans and vaccination strategies applicable to pet and farm animal infections

• identify the hygienic-sanitary problems and risk factors associated with the spread of infectious diseases.

Communication skills
Students must be able to describe clearly and with appropriate scientific language the main topics

Learning abilities

At the end of the course the student will be able to:

• analyze and evaluate the health problems related to infectious diseases

• develop proposals for the application of control measures for infectious agents

• understand the technical reports and national and international guidelines for the control of infectious diseases.

Type of teaching

Type of teaching includes lectures as well as practical training organized collectively and in small groups as follows

DM Bacterial diseases: DM Bacterial diseases: frontal lectures (31 hours) + practical classes (14 hours). The latter include laboratory activity (8 hrs) with small groups of students

DM Viral diseases: lectures 40 hours + practical activities 20 hours, the latter includes classwork 5 hours, experimental farm 3 hours (small group), labs 12hours (small group.

Lectures will provide an outline the areas of study included in the syllabus, with the help of slide shows and movies. The classroom exercises provide presentation and discussion of specific topics (MD bacterial diseases: mastitis management, case problems, issues related to biosafety; MD viral diseases: case studies, interpretation of diagnostic tests). The laboratory sessions (3 groups of students further divided into 6 group of 6-7 students each) are organized in order to enable the student to perform isolation and identification of specific pathogens and to use the main serological techniques for the diagnosis of the specific infections included in the course.

Final evaluation

The final exam consists of an oral test based on the topics covered in class with questions regarding the general part of the program, including diagnostic procedures, and questions related to the special part on bacterial and viral infections. The assessment of the student will be based on theoretical knowledge, on the ability to apply this knowledge in the solution of practical problems (eg interpretation of laboratory tests, preparation of health control plan) and communication skills. The vote is expressed in thirtieths

Ongoing evaluation

During the lecture period an optional evaluation 'in itinere' (ongoing evaluation) is organized on a date that will be communicated by teachers in the classroom at the beginning of the course and published in the news on the school website. The test is carried out in writing and includes multiple choice questions on topics related to the general part of the syllabus. The score, out of thirty, accounts for 20% of the final grade. The ongoing evaluation is considered passed with a grade equal to or greater than 18/30 (validity 12 months). Course registration is a mandatory requirement to attend the ongoing evaluation. Those who pass the ongoing evaluation are exempted from taking the general part in the final exam.

The online activities consist of self-assessment exercises by the student on specific topics treated in the classroom. These activities are not mandatory but are monitored by the teachers for an assessment of the effectiveness of frontal teaching

All self-assessment tests are available on Moodle platform at the link below:

http://elearning.moodle2.unito.it/dsv/course/view.php?id=34

Syllabus

Lectures

MD Bacterialdiseases

-   General concepts of bacterial infections, including the properties of different types of pathogens and the mechanisms of pathogenesis.

Information on bacterial diseases of particular importance in veterinary medicine: brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis and paratuberculosis, colibacillosis and salmonellosis, clostridiosis, swine erysipelas, listeriosis, mycoplasmosis, chlamydiosis, Q fever, anthrax, leptospirosis, staphylococcal and streptococcal infections

MD Viral diseases

 - Types of viral infections; viral genetic and evolution; in vitro and in vivo pathogenic activity

 - Etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and control of the main viral diseases of domestic animals, with particular emphasis on the following viral families: Picornaviridae, Flaviviridae,Coronaviridae, Rhabdoviridae, Togaviridae, orthomixoviridae, Paramixoviridae, Reoviridae, Retroviridae, Herpesviridae, Parvoviridae, Asfarviridae, Poxviridae. Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies

 - Viral vaccines

• Le esercitazioni suddivise su campo e in laboratorio prevedono manualità sul prelievo di campioni biologici, esecuzione delle principali analisi di laboratorio (dirette ed indirette) per la diagnosi di malattie ad eziologia infettiva, discussione e risoluzione di casi-problema.
• Gli studenti eseguono test diretti (analisi batteriologiche, colture di tessuto ed esami virologici) e indiretti, (test sierologici, in particolare tecniche immunoenzimatiche) con particolare attenzione ai criteri interpretativi.
• Vengono proposti alcuni esempi di applicazione delle tecniche biomolecolari ed esempi di risorse disponibili in rete per lo studio degli agenti infettanti.

Practical activities

Practical activities are performed on the field and in the laboratory. They include training on collection and conservation of biological samples, execution of the main laboratory analysis (direct and indirect methods) for the diagnosis of infectious diseases, discussion of case problems. 

Students use direct diagnostic methods (bacteriological exams, tissue culture techniques, virus isolation) and indirect diagnostic methods (serological tests, immunoenzymatic assays in particular) with emphasis on interpretive criteria.  

- educational material provided by the teachers available online (campusnet) and recommended for the study

Educational material suggested for further reading

- Farina R., Scatozza F.: Trattato di Malattie infettive degli animali. UTET, 1998

- Benazzi Pietro: Regolamento Di Polizia Veterinaria 20011 Esculapio + aggiornamenti

• Microbiologia e immunologia veterinaria